System of control.



i HALL SYSTEM OF CONTROL. APPLICATION FILED JULY 2,1913.

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SYSTEM OF CONTROL 7 APPHCATEON HLED JULY 2, 19 .3.

2 SHEETS-SHEE prirg'ression o];

normal setting 'i' M Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 2, 1913.

j [i/Z w/iont it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, Aiirirmi J. HALL, a suliject oi the King of Great Britain, and a resident oi" llilhinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful improvement in Systems of Control, of which the following is a specification.

r/ly invention relates to systems of eontrol for electric motors, and it has special reference to systems that are adapted for automatic acceleration and embody means whereby the motors may be accelerated at any dereirial rate, irrespective of the normal operation and sets 1g of the apparatus.

tine ot the objects of my invention is to provide a system of the above indicated character which shall be simple in arrange mentand elt'ective and reliable in operation.

linother object of my invention is to pro vide means adapted for use in an automatic multiple unit control system, which, while permitting the inoat economical automatic the resistance-giiivernii'ig switches under normal. operatingconditions, permits of manual control of the several switches under abnormal service conditions such as are encountered upon heavy grades, without: disturbing the normal adjustment of the limit switches and circuit breakers.

A still further oh' .ct of my invention is to provide means associatial with a system ol automatic control. whereby the several reswitches may be inde- Slstauce-govern? Q pomleutly and si :cessively closed at the will of the operator. but only one at a. time and not l'astcr than a predetermined rate. which precludes the pzissihility oi" abusing the mei tors by excessive acmderatiiu: currents.

.i still Further object of my invention is to provide a so-callcd notehingr relay of simple and durable construction which may he readily installed and maintained. and ad iusted for any operation, irrespective of the the limit switches.

Another object ol my invention is to pro vide a relay tor a single car equipment, or a plurality o'lrelavs tor a multiple unit system. one or all ol' which may be governed sinnilhmcously by the operator and ,actuatcd to short circuit the limit switches temporarily. whereby single or corresponding rosistance-controlling switches ma. be closed nulcpomlently oi the limit switches.

lleretotore, railway equipments have been Patented May 25, 1915. Serial No. 777,000.

provided with switches for the purpose of accomplishing somewhat similar results to those I have in view, but manually controlled devices having means for limiting the period during; which the limit switch is short circuit-ed, thus making it impossible for several resistance switches to close simultaneously or in rapid succession and subjectingthe motors to excessive and injurious amounts of current, have not been employed. l urthermore, in multi-ear trains, the motorman could only control the operation of the limit switch of the first car, which was entirely inetleetnal in securing {is desired results.

In some instances. time-limit relays have been employed which were adapted to automatically notch up or accelerate the motors, irrespective of the action of the limit switches. l'lowever. these devices were adapted for intermittent and continuous op eration and were. therefore, subject to severe wear and operating conditions which rendered them imreliahle and expensive to maintain.

My present invention intended to obviate the dilliculties encountered heretofore, and to improve and simplify the automatic contri'il and the operation of electric motors.

n the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 is a. view, partially in side elevation and partially in. section. of a notehing relay constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a view, partially in section and partially in end elevation, of the device shown in Fig. l, and Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view oi a system of control embodying my invention.

Referring to the V shown con'iprises a. supporting -frame l, a valve magnet 2, an operating cylinder and cooperating piston l. and a. plurality 0t switching devices and 6 which are correlated and adapted to act in the manner herematter set forth.

The valve magnet 2 may be of any suit able construct-ion such as is employed eX tensively in the art and comprises a stationary core 8. a movable armature 9, a plurality of oppositely disposed valve plugs 10 and 1] which are. respectively. fixed to valve stems l2 and 12 and are adapted to coi 'ierat-e respectively with valve seats 13 and i l in the usual manner. A spring 15 normally tends to hold the valve plug 11' drawings. the device EPA against its seat l i, whereby the supply of operating iluid lirom a supply chamber 16 ,is shut off from the operating cylinder 3, and the valve plug 10 is maintained in its up yer position to permit the escape of operating fluid to the atmosphere, as will be readily understood. llhe valve magnet "2 is provided with an energizing coil 17 for gov erning the action of the valves. it is not deemed necessary to give any further de scription of this portion of the device.

lhc operating cylinder 3 is provided with a centrally disposed. guiding sleeve 18 which a piston rod 19 is movably fitted, the

lower end thereof being secured to the piston 4, in heavy coil spring 20 surroun s the piston rod 19 and guiding sleeve 18 and acts against the piston a in opposition to the operating fluid to maintain it in its lowest position. Secured to the upper end of the pistoiurod 1.9, is a bracket arm :25, the end of which carries a block 26 of insulating material to which is secured a bracket or engaging member- 27, said member extending the full length thereof. y

The switching device 5 comprises a stationary contact terminal 28 of substantially downwardly tapering form which is rigidly secured to a stationary supporting member 29 that is suspended suitably 1. T he terminal 28 is provided with aclip 30 to which external connection ismade. A rod 32 PXOjBCtS .through openings in the engagin member 27 and stationary pontatt termina 28 and is fixed to the member 27 by means of collars 33 which are dispose on each side thereof and are pinned or otherwise secured to the rod 32. A bushing 34: of insulating material surrounds the -mid portion of from the stationary contact terminal 28. Co operating with the terminal 28, is a mdvable contact member or clip 35 of substantially U-shape that is adapted to engage the tapering surfaces of said terminal. The contact member 35 is resiliently supported upon the rod 32 by means of a coil spring 36 and the bushing 3i is secured in position against longitudinal movement with respect to the rod 32 by means of pinned collars .37 and The switching device 6 comprises stas tionary contact terminal 39 similar to that already described, but disposed oppositely thereto with its tapering surfaces projecting upwardly to coiiperate with a mo vablc contact member l0, also similar to that already set forth and held rigidly in position upon a rod ll, the upper end- 0 which projects loosely through an opening in the engaging bracket 27. A bushing 43 oi insulating material surrounds the lower end of rod and insulates it from the stationary contact member 39.

A longitudinally slotted strap so constiaccordance with common practice. i- Y from the irame.

d derstood, and thus permit the rod 32 and thus'insulatcs it nmoeoi tutes the middle portion of cooperatingwith the surfacethereoi, is a coil sprig means oi a bolt l8 projecting through the slot 419; Near the upper end of the rod ll and directly beneath the engaging ,member 27, is a fixed collar A flexible conducting shunt 51 is Cc. unected between the upper ends of the rods 32 and il, being secure" thereto by a plurality'ot sets of nuts 52'and 53, respectively.

When the piston l is raised by the admission of an operating fluid to the lower porti on oi the cylinder3 through the agency 0 the energization of the valve magnet 2, t is engaging member or bracket 27 is alsd raise and, in turn, carries with it the rod 32, thereby causing the engagement 0 the cooperating contact members .23 and 35, During this movement, rod ll and its associated movable contact member l0 remain at rest until just after the closure of contact members 28 and 35 is etlecte'd, at which time, the engaging member 27 engages the nuts 53 and effects the separation of the contact members-39 and do. It is evident, therefore, that both switching devices 5 and 6 are closed},only

ior a very short interval of time during the upward movement of the piston l. flhe duration of concurrent closure of devices 5 and (3 may be governed by suitable adjustments of nuts 53.

When the valve magnet 2 is "deenergized, the valves 10 and ll are so arranged as to permit the escape of the operating fluid from will be readily unthe spring 2 to clicct the downward movement of the bracket 25 and engaging member 27 0b viously, the member 27 carries with it the rod 32 and thus immediately disconnects the contact members 28 and Since the member 27 is independent of rod all until it en- ?'ages the collar 130,. and the engagement 0 the contact members 39 and i0 is temporarily delayed by the l'rictional engagement between the spring l7 and the engagement strap All. Manilicstly, there'lore,'there no time during the release oi" the piston l that both the switching devices 5 and (3 are closed.

The operation oi the device may best be understood by reference to Fig. 3 which illustrates a simple control system cm 'iodying my invention. A lull description ol this s stem being unnecessary, only that portion which pertains directly to my invention wi 1 be set forth in detail.

beneath the piston a, as

in general, the system comprises a supthe rod il and,

a? ubich is held in position byan electroresponsive cle ice dcvicesh and G are both closed at the same (i Limit Sir-it .ii a source of control timefor'only a short period during Which a enei y marked Battery and a switching circuit isessahlished, from one side of the dense in?" Notchinghelay limit switch contact members 51 and 55 V sis position 01'" the master con-- through conductor 5?, switching device 5, twitch l is energized and clcscd, shunt F1 switching device 6 and conductor es' ahlish 11g circuit from the 58", to the other side thereof. The limit irongh switch LS, incwr arinaswitch is thusmomentarily short circuibeei field wind" 0 I, mot-or armature toperinit the energization and clcsnrecf the Winding F, the energizing coil of proper iesistancegoyerning switch; The SsVIl JCl1 m5 resistors B Fi period of contact is-just sui'licient to permit Lothe track. Energy is thus only a'single switch co be actuated, so that, 3 do she inoi ors and operation thercin order toclose anoiaher switch, it is necesc J sary torelease the push button 56 and againtlic nia eiier controller be" moved to establish a circuit fihrou 'h coil 17 by means 39 d in succession, depcnddeoemninedtiine interval is required for the em upon he :lCLlOZl of the limit switch, closure of switching device (3 al'ler the coil 129 which in accord ti' vit-h the usual practice, 17 has been deenergized, and it therefore 5 i I under predetermined impossible to close several resistancegoveri 'ons, Riki-1F) permitted to drop ing switches in rapid succession. Thus, the, in C illii)l(j.i is ecnljrol circuits only when inotorinan may accelcr: lLlIGIIIGi/OES at will, the acceieracion of the .nioois and, conscirrespective of the sewing of the limit 1 the counter e ectroanoiive force swifch, but cannot subject She ino'fi'ors to 90 cased io a p in i mined excessive daznag' currents, as the 1L sysv in anc. operancegoverning s aches cannot be closed e1:-

as such operacepi at'a predetcrniined eciions arelainiliar to pill? will be u; :e art. shown and desc Jed is only illustrative of 9 :4 very simple s siein. embodying. my inren- Lion; and {hat my iliVQUelOil is not" restricted 0 Such a S in; since it may be embodied any the various well-known systems second sjuoin the several lQSiShOPSR of it; By reason of the frictional engager ll he ,ludecl from cirnicni or the spring -47 and strap 4-6, a prelily ai' the diagram I go." 1 it are empl yed :lor rile control of elect up the liniit or hicle inolors. l uri herino ihc "alioii .tructural f u'es oi iny relay may cl ina'lerially from those sec forth and des' c shah onl such lin'iitacio 40 i chiral ea'lures "loosed as are indie-Libel lilille a cuit izo Lil incc-l if; in inulizi;

i an '3 :ircuil; re-

cion, both of l pernled claims cl i 1 as my inrcn'l'ion:

an oi control, comprising a pluodcpendcntly operated switches A I-to be automatically closed in a pre- 11o he cnerdetermined sci'gueucc under prcdclerniined let his. ior currcnl conditions. and means under the lied as di-- control oi' lilie operator for lmnporarily sus lliGllJlJiJ'Z? inpending the automatic progression of i'jlhe idol] oi pneuswitches lor definite shori. interral of time. 11 The coil 1? is 2. A system oi con rol, comprising a pin cl in a circuit izci'iiaining a manually rality ol' iudependcnilv operated switches operaed sw'i'c i or push hutkl'in 56 which adapted to he automatically closed in a deliiuay lie-con lloliill) located on the master nilxe progression in accordion-o with prcdcconii'ollci' c it may lie operated at will tor-mined rurreui onditioim and an auxil- 1w 1, ti p (m4 iary manually controlled means nornuillyincase a re: railc encountered and dependent of the operation of said switches ier automaric acceleration is inipof ihle for cilia-ting ello closure ol said switches suceason ol' the normal setting 0i" the ccssircly in. a regular l quencc and under ices a l euduil u t switch" it only necessary for the limits as m closing in'lcrrals. 125 'inan lo ass the push button switch 3. A control sysicm 'l'or electric motors n us encrg the coil i? go cause the comprising a plurality oi indcpondcntly ac- ..j; ging iuciu r. to he raised in l;lie1nanlualed swim-lies adapted to he closed in av .ili' hereinlwlore 3i lorfli. During his opprc lcteruiincd sequence. an lppi'n .ug y U55 oration, as already explained, rho switching sire device dependent? upon curreni. condi- 3 automatic means 'i-aut mined conditions, and manually controlled means normally independent of said system for effecting the closure of one switch at a time, under abnormal circuit conditionst 5. A system of control comprising a o uof independently ,actual ed switches, dependent upon circuit automatic means conditions for closing said switches successively, and manually controlled means .or

rendering the operation non-automatic an closing a single switch.

6. A system of control r'or electric motors,

comprising a plurality of independently operated. switches adapted to close in predetermined sequence,

current relay the will of the operator.

a current relay for suspending the closure oi said switches, an nleans for temporarily short-circuiting sai tor a predetermined time, at

,7. A system-of control for electric motors, comprising a plurality of independently operated switches adapted to close in prede termined sequence, a current relay for susending the c osure of said switches, and a plurality of switching devices in series circuit with each other and in multiple with said current relay and adapted to be closed concurrently only for a short period of time to permit the closure of a single switch independently of said current relay.

8.. A system of control for electrlc motors, comprising a plurality of independ operated switches adapted to close in predetermined sequence, a current relay for suspending the closure of said switches an a plurality of switching devices connecte in series with each other and in multiple with said current relay, manually controlled means for actuating said switching devices, and means associated with said devices for causing a single limited concurrent closure of said devices correspond ng to each operation of said manually controlled means.

9. A relay apparatus comprising a p urality of" switching devices connecte in series relation, means to both devices for actuating the same, and means for causing both of said devices to be concurrently closed for a definite period but once corresponding to each operation of said actuating means.

10. A relay apparatus comprising a-plurality of series connected switching devices one of which is initially open and the other closed, means for closing one of said devices just prior to the opening of the other device during one direction oi. movement,

ently manner and means for preventing a concurrent closure of said devices during the other direction of movement.

, 11. A relay apparatus comprising an actuating means, a plurality of sets of cooperating switch members, one 0 which is normally openand the other closed, means for causing the first close just prior to the opening otthe second switch during one movement of said actuating means, an

means for delaying the movement of one, o the switch members to permit the first switch to open prior to the closure of the secon switch during the other movement of the actuating means.

12. in a control system, the combination with a plurality of independently operated switches adapted to be automatically closed in a predetermined sequence in accordance with circuit conditions, of normally inoperative means independent of the automatic operation of the system and under the con-v trol o" the operator for temporarily sus' pending the automatic progression of the switches. v In a control system, the combination with a plurality of independently operate switches adapted to be automatically closed in a predetermined sequence in accordance with circuit conditions, of means independent of the automatic operation of the system and adapted to be rendered operative at t e will of the operator for effecting the successive closure 0'" said switches under abnormal current conditions.

1a. in a control system, the combination with a plurality of independently operate switches adapted to be automatically closed in a redetermined sequence in accordance with circuit conditions, of independent electrically controlled switching means adapted .to be energized at the will of the operator for temporarily suspending the operation of the system for a predetermined interval under abnormal current conditions, said means being operative but once for each energization thereof.

, 15. In a system of tion with a plurality of independently operated switches adapted for successive operation, eleetro-responsrve means for rendering the operation oi said switches dependent upon circr't conditions, and controllable means for initiating the operation of said switches and said means, of independent means under the control of the operator or temporarily rendering said means ineiiective and for effecting the closure of one of said switches under abnormal circuit conditions.

16. In a system of control, the combinatian with a plurality of independently operated switches adapted for successive operation, electro-responsive means for ren ering the operation of said switches dependent upon circuit conditions, and controllable control, the combine-- automatic 

